Newborn Hep B

[Lineymom]

Do you need a waiver to avoid the Hep B shot at the hospital or any of the other newborn stuff (Vit K and Eye ointment)?
I guess it probably varies by state, but I can't seem to find out.

I am in Arkansas. New to this forum, but stopped vac'ing kinda late in the game. DS 1 had all of his until boosters at 4-5yrs (6.5yr now). DS 2 had them until 12 months when he had bad reactions and I said no more. (He is now 4.) My DD is due in Nov and I plan on either no vac or major delaying and selecting.

[ammiga]

We didn't need anything, but do NOT let your newborn out of your sight. Someone needs to stay with her at all times. Hospitals will "accidentally" give hep b to any baby in their hands, even if you have been clear as day that they are not to give dd any meds. They also are known to give pacifiers and sugar water to keep them quiet.

[becca_howell]

We needed a waiver to refuse vit k and eye goop, and when they brought me the waiver, it had an "other" section, so I added "refusing hep b and circumcision". We figured it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Also, it would give us a legal leg to stand on.

We also never let our son out of our sights either.

[Marnica]

I signed a waiver for this stuff....It was actually a form you had to sign either way...yes I want the hep b, no I decline it.


After 42 hours of labor and a TERRIBLE birth, ending in a emergency c-section I actually did let them take my son to the nursery so I could sleep for 2 nights. Totally against my better judgement but I was seriously delirious at this point. I can only hope and pray he was not given anything without my knowledge

[Lineymom]

Thanks! So I guess there is not offical form like the waivers for school, then. So I guess a typed and signed birth plan work? Hospital was good about the no sugar water/pacifer thing, but still I will not trust a nurse alone with my baby for sure!

[katiesk]

i am not entirely sure, as i gave birth at home, but if i were going to give birth in a hospital, i would not let my baby out of my sight.

[lemurik]

When my kids were born, I just told the hospital that we will be doing the shot when we see our pediatrician at 2 weeks. I also had it on my birth plan and gave a copy to everyone who came to see me. There were absolutely no problems or questions. Eye ointment I also refused and they just confirmed it with our ped, whom we discussed it with earlier.

[an_domhan]

Originally Posted by Lineymom

Do you need a waiver to avoid the Hep B shot at the hospital or any of the other newborn stuff (Vit K and Eye ointment)?
I guess it probably varies by state, but I can't seem to find out.

It may also vary by hospital. Different hospitals have different SOPs, so I agree with other posters that you should just outline this in your birthing plan. If a waiver (on a state level) is required, they'll likely know.

They'll likely encourage *you* to get Tdap as well, because you wouldn't want to spread pertussis to your defenseless infant and it will absolutely protect you and your child (and of course others that cannot be vaccinated)... and it's the socially responsible thing to do. Then should your child get pertussis from your subclinical state (or another child for that matter), they'll state out of the other side of their mouth that the vaccine doesn't work for everyone and they never said it would.

/sarcasm

[Fyrestorm]

Originally Posted by an_domhan

They'll likely encourage *you* to get Tdap as well, because you wouldn't want to spread pertussis to your defenseless infant and it will absolutely protect you and your child (and of course others that cannot be vaccinated)... and it's the socially responsible thing to do. Then should your child get pertussis from your subclinical state (or another child for that matter), they'll state out of the other side of their mouth that the vaccine doesn't work for everyone and they never said it would.

/sarcasm

Many hospitals are also pushing MMR on new mamas...why you would give a live vaccine to a nursing mother, I will never understand..but they are.

[belltree]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm

Many hospitals are also pushing MMR on new mamas...why you would give a live vaccine to a nursing mother, I will never understand..but they are.

If one is worried, couldn't one just have their titer evaluated?

[Fyrestorm]

Originally Posted by belltree

If one is worried, couldn't one just have their titer evaluated?

Why would they bother doing that when they can just jab you? Titers require lab work which they can't justify....a vaccine..no biggie

[kilamonster]

In Texas, they brought me a paper asking me so sign it if we wanted to have the Hep B shot given to our LO. We didn't want it given so I refused. That was the end of it.

[Gladiolus]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm

Many hospitals are also pushing MMR on new mamas...why you would give a live vaccine to a nursing mother, I will never understand..but they are.

Yes. They told me I had to get Rubella right after birth because my titers taken during my first prenatal appt showed that I had no immunity to Rubella (I was vax'ed, with a booster around 12/13? I can't remember exactly but my mom thought she was on top of things)
The hospital nurse said I had to have the Rubella shot before I left, as she stood there with shot in hand - as my husband was installing the carseat. I had refused the Hep B for my daughter (which I did have to sign a wavier) and was just beginning to question vaxes- but I just... ugh. I didn't say no. I didn't fight for myself. I wouldn't let any of that happen now.
I'm still mad when I think about it. Really really mad.

[organicpapayamama]

I am in CA and I had it right in the birth plan that I did not want DS to have hep B vax. I dont think i had to sign anything in the hospital. At DS first ped appointment a few days later, 3 I think, I did have to sign that I was declining it. I also did not let DS away from my sight for one moment, you never know what they will "accidentally" do. They did however insist on giving DS a bottle to drink from... they threatened to not let him home unless he drank x amount of milk and as a result he got nipple confusion and it ruined my planned breastfeeding relationship... uggg.

[Honey693]

Originally Posted by kilamonster

In Texas, they brought me a paper asking me so sign it if we wanted to have the Hep B shot given to our LO. We didn't want it given so I refused. That was the end of it.

That's what they did in Iowa for me too. There was a huge long list of horrible things that would happen to my baby if I didn't get her vaxed (b/c yeah she's a crack whore who gets blood transfusions) and then a box to check whether I wanted to or not and a place for me to sign. I said no, the nurse smiled and said check here and sign and they left me alone.

[midnightmommy]

I had to sign one here. Then I had to decline it to three hospital Peds doctors before we left. Our office makes us sign a waiver at each appointment when we decline I guess. (haven't actually crossed that bridge yet.)

[jeminijad]

I signed a refusal form in the hospital (PA.) No big deal. I also sign refusal forms each time DD does not get all of the recommended vaxes at WBVs.

[mkmoro311]

Why would you want to willingly make an open wound on a new born baby with no immune system in a germ infested hospital! Just tell them your Ped Dr will do it at your visit next week in a less germ infested environment!!!

[Healthy Skeptic]

I am in MI and made up all my own forms. I was in now way going to sign theirs. Many are worded in a way that makes you look like an unfit parent.

I made my own for the pku, vit k, erythromycin and vaccine tests.

I had them for free on Frunchmama but it is down now. If you pm me I could send them to you. I spent hours upon hours doing research and what not to make them.

I am pretty impressed with them for sure.

Just let me know. They are not simple in anyway. In fact my pku one is a few pages long. You would need to change them for your state though.

I wrote them in a way that shows that I know what I am talking about.

Anyway, good for you in making these hard decisions for your LOs.

[mkmoro311]

Originally Posted by Healthy Skeptic

I am in MI and made up all my own forms. I was in now way going to sign theirs. Many are worded in a way that makes you look like an unfit parent.

I made my own for the pku, vit k, erythromycin and vaccine tests.

I had them for free on Frunchmama but it is down now. If you pm me I could send them to you. I spent hours upon hours doing research and what not to make them.

I am pretty impressed with them for sure.

Just let me know. They are not simple in anyway. In fact my pku one is a few pages long. You would need to change them for your state though.

I wrote them in a way that shows that I know what I am talking about.

Anyway, good for you in making these hard decisions for your LOs.

I got the PKU done at the Ped office a week after she was born, still thinking twice about it! I was wondering if she tested neg for it would't #2?